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Saturday, August 22, 2009

I've been developing a new program with a new friend I met not long ago, and we've been discussing all the things that make us feel healthy, wealthy and wise. As a financial advisor by trade, and a skin care expert by passion, I've given these somewhat esoteric issues a great deal of thought!

This week, my husband had an unexpected total hip replacement. Although we expect a fabulous outcome for him, it is a very major surgery and a rough recovery, at least for a couple weeks. I've been keenly aware of what makes me feel "wealthy"...even in the face of a family stress time and being off work for a couple weeks: wealthy to me means all the things you can NOT buy with money: family, relationships, comfort, health, freedom. This is true wealth...so I spend some time each day just in gratitude for what I have.

Healthy has been in our minds a lot too, lately. My husband received the absolute best of care while in the hospital from compassionate, knowlegeable, competent nurses, surgeons, and staff. I was so appreciative to them...and as I headed home each evening to try to get some sleep myself, I was confident he was in good hands. To show them my appreciation, I made about ten gift bags of Organic, Anti-Aging skin care samples and creamy goat soap from my line. One of the greatest pleasures I have in doing PureBliss Essentials business is the ability to gift: often, and abundantly. The ability to give things most people really like, makes me feel both healthy and wealthy!

And wise....what makes us feel like we have wisdom? Those flashes of insight that come spontaneously, often when we least expect it. I have these often, and in fact, I see my own intuition as my "guiding force" in everything in life. That gut instinct helps me navigate every situation, and make decisions that are never wrong, when I follow it. This has served me well in business: in the financial realm, there are clients I won't work with: when my "gut" tells me they are irrational, unreasonable or trouble. There is great freedom in this, to trust my own instincts. Wisdom also shown this week when I realized that all of us are human...and each of us seeks many of the same things: kindness, thoughtfulness, humor and compassion. At the end of the day, if I can look back on my life and feel it was full of wisdom and compassion, I will know I've lived my best life.

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Aloha from the beautiful island of Maui! We are here on vacation this week...and although I've been before, Maui never ceases to astound me with its beauty, and spectacular sights.

As a very fair-skinned person whose family has a history of skin cancer...of course I'm naturally concerned about the best way to enjoy all that Maui has to offer, and also not subject myself to the intense island sun. Here are some of the tips I can share on what I'm doing, and hope it may help you not let too much sun spoil your summer fun!

1. All the common sense things everyone knows: sunscreen, re-apply frequently! If you dip in and out of the water, more sunscreen each time you come out! Also: huge tip: wear a shirt snorkeling: you forget in the wonder of seeing below the surface how your back is directly exposed. Keep your shirt on!

2. Protect your hair! This is especially true if you color treat! Sun and salt water are no friend of your hair condition or color. Here is a great tip: before hitting the beach, douse your hair with the magical kukui nut oil. You can buy it locally here in Hawaii. Leave it on...then wash out at the end of the day. Your hair will be considerably softer and less damaged by the elements. Here is a bit about Kukui Nut Oil, which is great for skin and hair in this climate!

Kukui Nut Oil has been used for many years in Hawaii , and has only recently become known to the rest of the world. It is prized for its rejuvenating and soothing effects upon the skin, without leaving a greasy or oily film. Pressed from the seeds of the Aleurites moluccana tree, Kukui Nut Oil is invaluable for many different skin conditions, providing moisture and nourishment to dry, mature, and damaged skin.

The Kukui Nut tree was first brought to Hawaii by early Polynesian settlers. It quickly adapted, and is now Hawaii 's official state tree. Kukui means ‘enlightenment' in Hawaiian. Traditionally, babies in Hawaii were anointed with Kukui Nut Oil to protect their skin from the sun, salt, and other elements. In addition, it was used on skin irritations, wounds, and burns. Kukui Nut Oil was also used to massage members of royalty, who were sometimes massaged for seven or more hours with this oil!

Kukui Nut Oil is a fabulous moisturizer, and quickly penetrates the skin leaving a silky-smooth non-greasy feeling. It is often used for dry or damaged skin, immediately relieving symptoms because of its quick absorption into the skin. It can leave even the roughest and driest skin feeling smooth, soft, and hydrated. Kukui Nut Oil contains Vitamins A, C, and E, providing anti-oxidants that help to protect the skin. This unique oil is able to penetrate into the deepest skin layers, while creating a protective shield that locks in moisture. Kukui Nut Oil is great for those with sensitive skin, and is a wonderful ingredient to add to your bodycare products. Specifically, it is beneficial for the following conditions: (please note: this information is not intended to diagnose, or be construed as medical advice.)• Burns – including: sunburn, windburn, radiation burns, and heat induced burns. • Eczema • Chapped skin • Psoriasis • Mature and prematurely aged skin • Dry skin conditions • Acne • Scars • Lesions • Dry hair and scalp

A good sunscreen, a hat, keeping your shirt on, and liberal use of Kukui Nut Oil can yeild a wonderfully protected skin while allowing you to romp freely in paradise!

Saturday, July 18, 2009

So who needs exfoliation? What is it and why should you care? Here is the real truth: everybody needs exfoliation - men and women, young and old, dry skin types, oily skin types - everyone.

Exfoliation - this is the one crucial skin care step that's most popularly underrated and underused. What is it exactly? It's the step between the cleanser and the toner. It's the one step that's so critical to beautiful skin that it's remarkable to see how often it's brushed aside or off altogether in skin care regimens. Although many people already know what this is or that it is a necessary cleansing step, exfoliation continues to get skipped. This is mostly true for men, who often believe skin care treatments are for women only. One advantage men have is that they shave their faces...thereby exfoliating in spite of themselves! Women, on the other hand, often skip this important step, reasoning it takes too much time, but this is a mistake. Exfoliation is a technique that can and should be used by both men and women at least every other day in order to maintain healthy, vibrant-looking skin. This is because daily, hourly, minutely, dead skin cells are accumulating on the epidermis (outermost layer of skin) which then causes the skin to become dull and thicken. But via exfoliation, whether you choose to use a gentle scrub, glycolic acid or a washcloth, those very same dead skin cells that form on the top layer of your skin are removed to reveal the glorious skin underneath. By removing dead and dry skin cells from the surface of your skin, it allows the growth of new moisturized cells to surface, creating a glowing look for your skin. Your routine can include a gentle scrub, or can be alternated with a glycolic acid mask or clay mask. The combination of both techniques can be most beneficial for keeping your skin clear, and smooth.

When selecting the right product remember that using the most gentle products available. You wouldn't take a scouring pad to your delicate face, nor should your products have harsh exfoliants. A good organic base with tea anti-oxidants and gentle jojoba beads might be a good choice. When using masques, there are a couple things to keep in mind. Glycolic acid is a remarkably effective product for the clearest smoothest skin, but this active ingredient also causes a higher sensitivity to the sun, so you have to be very careful by using sunscreen after using a glycolic acid product. When you look at clay masques, ingredients matter! Masques can be a very effective way of deep cleansing and exfoliating, especially if they contain Vitamin E, DMAE or other active ingredients known to produce spectacular results for skin clearing.

Exfoliation is a critically important step in any good skin care routine. Remember the other pillars of skin care: careful cleansing, proper moisture and SUNSCREEN always! If you combine these elements with a healthy diet, plenty of rest and water, and regular excercise, you will have glowing skin well into your later years, and you'll be glad you did!

Friday, July 17, 2009

There is a lot of interest these days with all things natural. What is natural beauty? I would define it as optimum health: a balanced lifestyle, pure, organic food in as "unprocessed" a state as possible, proper excercise, fresh air, quality loving relationships, and meaningful contribution to the world. We don't all just have these elements, but many people strive to keep these elements and integrate them.

The very same elements that contribute to overall health, also create great skin. There is a recognition that we are not just a mind, or a body, or some emotions, or a spirit, but we are an integrated system, and that when we follow healthy practices our whole being benefits from it. Anti-aging technologies are everywhere....clearly a rapidly aging demographic trends have a lot of people pursuing ways to stay younger or younger looking and feeling.

Your skin is the largest organ you have. When you take care to use pure, and mostly organic products on your skin it can be beneficial to you. Thorough cleansing, gentle exfoliation for the dead layers on the top of your skin and careful moisturizing are the elements of any good skin care ritual. When combined with a healthy lifestyle and diet, you will give yourself the very best chance to keep looking youthful and healthy well into your later years!

Sunday, June 28, 2009

I love summer in Portland...warm, green, lush and delicious. I was thinking of all the ways we can take summer in wherever we are: enjoy the outdoors, the water, the mountains, the desert. One of the things I love about the Northwest is that it is a year-round "outside" kind of place. Rain does not stop us in the winter from biking, hiking, and tromping around the art galleries. Summers are glorious...tons of live music in the parks and wineries, great cultural events, lots of things to do.

I was thinking we should find ways to indulge and pamper ourselves regardless of our climate or the time of year. I was recently inspired to create luscious summer scrubs and a new solid lotion bar to really enjoy either getting ready for the day, or to pamper and relax at the end. Starting with a fresh shower scrub and delicious juicy orange, grapefruit, lemon and botanical essences...it's just one of those things that make you glad to be alive! A small thing perhaps, but when life feels tough like it sometimes does, this is one thing we can each do to just take a few moments and enjoy the feel, the scent, the freshness. Follow up with a touch of a lotion bar...and you can launch into the day feeling like you are ready for anything!

Stay tuned...I'll be blogging about the rich butters and oils that I've found to have truly amazing effects on parched summer skin...it's been a rigorous learning curve!

Monday, June 22, 2009

I've been a life-long entrepreneur....and as much as anything I believe entrepreneur ism is about personal growth. I've seen over the years my relative success from year to year has more to do with how I'm developing myself, and less to do with economics, conditions or all the outside influences that can convince us that it is not a good time to be successful.

I started my financial advisory business out of a complete business failure in real estate. Back in the 80's when real estate was booming, it seemed like a good business to be in. The money was good, but I never loved it. When the first big economic collapse of California happened, I got caught in the massive implosion of that industry and I knew that more than anything I had to change...not conditions alone, but me.

I dug in and applied myself to the situation at hand. The first thing I did was go seek the advice of two respected mentors, who both, independently advised me that a career in financial services was the place to build long term stability. They were right. I also had to get up every single day and apply myself to re-train in this new profession. There were times I felt the task at hand would overwhelm me. I learned that I had to take one day and one step at a time. The slow, steady self-discipline and establishment of a disciplined work ethic is what pulled me out of that catastrophe, and set my course that did indeed, over time, give me the stable, meaningful career it has become.

This is what I've learned....when faced with great adversity, it is a challenge for us to look INWARD, not outward to see how we can think differently, tap our own resiliency and creativity, seek counsel from wise people, and get comfortable with change and living outside our comfort zone.

This is the formula I believe for success...no matter what your job status is or station in life. We can rise to our circumstance... and find what we need. Those answers are not in looking for a person, the government, our illusions of the "secure" job to bail us out. Those answers exist eternally right inside your own heart and intuition. Times of great crisis are our best opportunities to find our strengths, then apply them in a new direction.

Here's to your success! Find your passion, learn new skills, and be willing to be coach able by those who have gone before you. You success is guaranteed if you will. The biggest foe we face is our own negative self-image and thinking. Believe you can, or believe you can't...either way, you'll be right.

Monday, March 2, 2009

One of my favorite skin routines is an organic Rhassoul Clay Mask. Never heard of Rhassoul? Here is a bit about it: Rhassoul clay, found only deep beneath the Atlas Mountains in Morocco, has been used for over 1,400 years as a natural beauty treatment for skin and hair-even nobles in ancient Rome and Egypt took advantage of this remarkable beautifying clay. To first look at this reddish-brown cosmetic clay you would not think it was anything spectacular, but looks can be deceiving.What Makes Rhassoul Clay Unique?This clay is a smectic (or swelling) clay, which means that it's extremely absorbent-much more so than other cosmetic clays. In fact, it's made up of three layers with a water layer sandwiched in between. This clay has a unique ability to absorb tremendous amounts of water, which makes it ideal for cleansing and detoxifying the skin.Further, Rhassoul clay contains higher percentages of silica, magnesium, potassium, calcium and other trace minerals than other clays. These minerals make the clay highly detoxifying as they can actually exchange themselves for toxic compounds like metals in the skin. So the clay not only works to remove impurities from your skin-it also replaces them with nourishing trace minerals. And, the clay's high level of ions exchange makes it ideal for toning and enriching the skin.But perhaps the best part about Rhassoul clay is what it doesn't contain: no petrochemical derivatives, no synthetic preservatives, no surfactants or artificial colors ... all of which are common in commercial soaps and cleansers.How is Rhassoul Clay Used?Rhassoul clay can be used as a soap, skin conditioner, shampoo or mask for the face and body. It acts like a soap but leaves a sweet scent behind. One note of caution here: if you use it in shampoos, it will strip your color. If your hair is not colored, it is tremendously clarifying.Two U.S. labs have conducted clinical studies on Rhassoul clay. After just a single use, users reported the following results in their skin:Less drynessLess flakinessImproved skin clarity, elasticity and firmnessImproved skin textureLess surface oilSmoother skinIn short, Rhassoul clay is a superior compound for removing oil and impurities from the skin and hair, and that's why top spas around the world offer beauty treatments that contain it.Here is the recipe I use: one part Rhassoul, one part Aloe Vera Juice, and add some avocado oil till you get the texture you like. Mix well, apply to clean face, and let dry. Remove with warm water and follow with your favorite moisturizer. I use my Regenerate Serum and my Anti-Oxidant Renewal Creme...and this combination makes my skin feel like it must have been when I was 6 months old! It is smooth, clear, plump and soft.Try it...you'll be amazed!!

I've been thinking about the call to national service...and what I've learned about service during my life.I've been a life-long entrepreneur. I started as a realtor in S Cal back in the 80's when real estate was a pretty good business to be in. When both the economy and my business totally crashed by the end of the 80's I was left wondering: "is this all there is? How do I start over?" I realized that re-inventing my career and my personal life would involve some deep introspection. I learned that I could no longer just work for money...but that what I chose to spend my life energy on had to have meaning and purpose. I found my way into financial services after leaving California...a painful choice as I was totally broke, did not know a soul, and had to dig out a living minute by minute. I was scared a lot of the time, just like I imagine so many are scared now. But I persevered, and today I have a business that has given me so much. I partner with talented third party active money managers who have the staff and resources to monitor the global markets. I was marvelling at my new crop of client statements that arrived this week. Accounts that not only did not lose money over this devastating recessionary cycle, but actually eked out some small gains. These statements are not pieces of paper to me: they are the widow who counts on this income to survive with her small daughter, the trust fund that two children count on to fund their college, the small retirement account for the divorcee that cannot afford to lose a dime. Real people. I'm proud of what I've been able to do, to help real people navigate during these very tough times.

I'm also thrilled about my new entrepreneurial business, PureBliss Essentials. I started this as a hobby and born out of my life-long fascination with the science of skin care, and love of creative endeavors. I can get lost in figuring out new ways to make delicious things that make people happy. I never did it for the money. My biggest thrill is to know someone has used my products and they made them feel good. I think people need that these days. In my very first year of business, I vowed that PureBliss would be a business that gave back. Every year, PureBliss will donate 10% of profits to a local charity that supports self-sustainability in our community. The Bradley Engle House for battered women and children were the recipients in 2008. I'm also launching a new program "Girl Power"...an entreprenurial course for young girls. I'll teach them how to make simple soaps and scrubs, let them sell them and make money, and teach them how to do simple bookeeping, and run a business. Who knows what could come of it for them? I think our young people need to know how to be self-sufficient. Also, a requirement of the program is that they save 10% of everything they earn...for college, or to expand their business.Both of my businesses give me as much as I give to them. They are filled with meaning and purpose. It was never about the money, but amazingly, the money comes. This is the year we've been called to serve our communities. There can be no loftier goal, and the real secret of service is that the ServOR benefits far more than the ServEE

About Me

I started this business a couple of years ago as a way to express myself artistically through hand made soap and bath products. It's been quite an adventure, and it seems to evolve every month as I go along. It's been a wonderful experience to be able to make things that people love.

Welcome to our blog!

Professionally, I've been a financial advisor for over fifteen years, and although that is still my core business and a great love, I also felt the need to have a completely different artistic expression, and PureBliss was born. I thought this blog would be a good place to share some of what I've learned along the way: with money, with entreprenurism, with creativity, and frankly, anything else that has impacted me in a positive way!